Dennis Specialist Vehicles · 1979–1990
Dennis DF series
The Dennis DF series is a range of heavy-duty fire engine chassis produced by Hestair Dennis (later Dennis Specialist Vehicles) from 1979 to the early 1990s. Based on the Dennis RS/SS series, the DF has a 16,260 kg (35,850 lb) gross vehicle weight, and was produced primarily as a base for turntable ladder appliances or tanker units carrying either foam or water. The DF could be offered in 'Firebird' or 'Waterbird' specification. The 'Firebird' variant could carry up to 1,000 imp gal (4,500 L; 1,200 US gal) of water, while the 'Waterbird' variant could carry 1,800 imp gal (8,200 L; 2,200 US gal) of water.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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Operators
Turntable ladder appliances on the Dennis DF chassis were sold to a number of fire brigades in the United Kingdom, including the Tyne and Wear Metropolitan Fire Brigade. The DF was also sold to fire brigades in Hong Kong, the Middle East and Kenya. DF135s were also exported to New Zealand for use as pump tenders in the New Zealand Fire Service, with some being built with Mills-Tui bodywork.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.
Specifications
- name
- Dennis DF series
- Manufacturer
- Hestair Dennis
- Production
- 1979-early 1990s
- Assembly
- Woodbridge, Guildford
- Designer
- Ogle Design
- Body style
- Cab over engine
- Related
- Dennis RS/SS series, Dennis Delta
- Engine
- Perkins V8-540, Perkins TV8-540, Perkins V8-640, Perkins T6.354.4, Perkins Phaser, Cummins 6CT, Cummins 6CTA
- Transmission
- Turner T5-400 five-speed manual, ZF S6-65 manual, Allison MT643 automatic, ZF 5HP500 automatic
- Wheelbase
- 3810 -
- Length
- 6136 mm
- Width
- 2472 mm
- Height
- 2640 mm
- Kerb weight
- 16260 kg
- sp
- uk
Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.
Sources
- Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109727259CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_DF_seriesCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1340926061 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1986_Dennis_DF_DK_135_(19960013173).jpgCC BY 2.0 · Photo: Riley from Christchurch, New Zealand · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.